


Alone Together

by Last_Heaven



Category: Jrock, SCREW (Band)
Genre: Fisting, Frottage, Held Down, M/M, Oral Sex, Teasing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-07
Updated: 2015-08-30
Packaged: 2018-04-08 03:24:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4288893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Last_Heaven/pseuds/Last_Heaven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Manabu and Byou have been best friends and bandmates for years. But maybe...it's time for them to take another step forward with that relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Maybe More...

**Author's Note:**

> This series begins shortly after the April release of "ANITYA".

Another live was over, and Manabu was just finishing getting cleaned up, trading in his stage getup for black jeans and a gray t-shirt with a small faded bird design on the front. The equipment was packed away in SCREW's van, and staff members checked that everything was good to go for the night. Manabu gathered up his own belongings, tossing everything into his bag. One article of clothing was nowhere to be seen, though.

He thought about asking if anyone had seen his sweatshirt, but decided against it. He could find it himself. No need to ask the people around him, busy with their own tasks. He only questioned this decision after the minute hand on the clock had moved forward a considerable amount and the hoodie was still nowhere to be found.

Because he was still on his secret mission, he was the last member remaining backstage. This was, of course, until Byou walked in. Wearing his sweatshirt.

"What's taking you so long?" asked Byou irritably.

"Um..." Manabu started quietly. "Is...that my sweatshirt?"

Byou held out his arms and checked out the garment clinging from him.

"You know, I didn't think I had brought this with me today..." His face gained an expression of enlightenment at the realization. "Didn't know you had the same one."

While Manabu pulled his duffle bag onto his shoulder, Byou unzipped the hoodie and slid it off of his arms. Manabu caught himself sneaking a quick glance at the vocalist while he did this. Once Byou's toned arms were fully uncovered, Manabu looked away.

"Sorry about that," Byou apologized. He held out the garment.

"It's alright," Manabu reassured him, reaching to take it back.

But when he tried to pull it away, Byou didn't release his grip, and instead tugged back a little.

Manabu felt his face grow warm in this state of confusion. Okay, what the hell was Byou doing...? He couldn't stumble upon the words to ask him. Instead his head lowered a bit, and he lifted his eyes and met the gaze that was piercing through him.

"What if I don't give it back?" asked Byou in a teasing tone. The faintest trace of that devilish smile of his was materializing upon his lips.

The members always messed with each other like this, but somehow... This did not give off the same feeling.

"I..." Manabu _really_ did not know. What was he supposed to say to that? But what he did know was that his whole head felt like it might burst from the heat attempting to suffocate him.

Byou's mouth slowly curved up into a grin. He let go of the sweatshirt, surprising Manabu. Then he simply turned away and headed for the door.

Manabu was considerably disoriented. He attempted to process the situation that had just taken place, but couldn't get an answer as to what exactly had just happened. All he knew was that it had become really hot backstage and that he needed to get outside before the band left him behind and put up flyers for a new guitarist in the hotel lobby. He enjoyed being in the band, and didn't much like the thought of a bellhop replacing him.

He stepped outside into the cool night air, relieved in the change of temperature. He walked toward the awaiting vehicle.

"What took you?" called out Kazuki. Manabu opened the door and sat down

"I couldn't find my sweatshirt," Manabu explained. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Byou, seated up front, sneak him a glance in the rearview mirror. Manabu focused his attention out the window.

Once they reached the hotel and had their belongings sent up to their rooms, Kazuki, Jin, and Byou made plans to head straight for the bar downstairs.

"I'm just going to go to my room," said Manabu when they expected him to join in.

"Are you sure?" asked Jin. Sure Manabu wasn't the most outgoing person, but he usually socialized with the band after a live.

"Yeah, I'm pretty tired today for some reason. I'll see you guys later."

"Call me if you don't feel well," said Kazuki.

Manabu smiled at the band's two caretakers. "I will, thanks. Goodnight everyone!"

The three shouted their goodnight simultaneously as they grew eager for their last adventure of the night, one that would surely lead to a headache in the morning.

While they walked into the bar Manabu walked into the elevator. He viewed his image self-consciously in the mirrors of the doors. Once he reached the third floor he set out down the corridor to his room at the very end. They had two rooms booked for the members; they were all fine sharing with each other. Now that there were only four members of SCREW, as Rui had recently departed, it just made things easier and cheaper that way.

As Manabu swiped the key card in the lock and pushed the handle, he wondered who he ended up rooming with. He was still backstage in the venue when the members discussed this, and had simply taken his key card when offered, no questions asked.

Oh god, what if he was sharing a room with Byou?

It wasn't that he didn't like Byou. No, not at all. This was, in fact, the problem. Recently Manabu had been getting thoughts that he found rather questionable. Things he didn't want to admit. Byou was one of his closest friends, and he didn't want to ruin that and make matters uncomfortable.

Byou would never be anything more than a close friend.

Or...would he? His behavior when he returned Manabu's sweatshirt was odd, wasn't it? Or at least, odd for him to be acting that playful to Manabu. Sure they joked around, but never with a lingering serious aura like that. He remembered first joining SCREW, and catching him flirting with Jin like that, and finding out that they were together at the time...

Wait... Was Byou flirting with _him?_

A booming knock on the door made Manabu jump. He was surprised that his head didn't fly through the ceiling. How embarrassing would that be, for one of his bandmates to waltz in and merely see his two skinny legs dangling from above?

He looked through the peep hole, his hand on the door handle. He felt his breath catch in his throat when he saw Byou standing there. The singer stared down the hall, glanced up, and then lifted his face to the peep hole. Manabu jumped back. Wait, it's not like Byou could see him...

He opened the door just enough to reveal himself.

"Byou?"

"Evening!" Byou greeted. He held out two glasses filled with a clear liquid that Manabu suspected was not water, though he kind of wished it would be. His head felt befuddled enough without alcohol invading it. "Can I come in?"

Manabu simply nodded and stepped back, widening the door. He shut it behind Byou, who was slipping out of his boots, and tried to compose his thoughts.

"I couldn't let you go to sleep without at least one drink," Byou insisted. "You did great tonight, too. Celebrate."

"Oh. Thanks." Manabu took the glass he was offered and sat down on the bed nearest the wall. He could smell the liquid. Definitely not water.

"No problem," said Byou. He sat next to Manabu and took a sip of his drink. The other followed suit.

It was silent for a long time as they drank. But not an awkward silence. It seemed as if they were both content with the thoughts inside their own heads. Manabu was thankful that Byou could handle his quiet attitude, either by being equally fine with the silence or by finding a way to fill it. Byou chewed at his lip for a moment; then, he breathed out a slight laugh.

"You know I think you're hot," he said casually.

Manabu choked. He leaned over and set the now empty glass on the nightstand as he coughed, his throat burning like he had swallowed a hot coal.

"...Even though you can be such a dork," continued Byou, looking almost disappointed at his friend's embarrassing scenario.

Manabu's face was red, both from shyness and a lack of air passing through his lungs. Did he really just hear Byou say...?

Byou stood up and set his glass down too. He came back over to Manabu, standing in front of him. The guitarist averted his eyes, suddenly finding himself unable to look into the vocalist's.

"...Am I making you uncomfortable?" asked Byou, genuine concern in his voice. While he might have jokingly been known as one of the biggest perverts of the visual kei scene, he would never truly do anything out of line.

"...No," said Manabu.

"Liar." Byou laughed.

"It's..." Manabu searched for words. "It's not exactly you who's making me uncomfortable. It's..."

"Your own shyness?"

Huh, yeah, actually, that's what he was trying to say. But still he kept quiet, merely making eye contact with Byou in response.

Byou sat back down on the bed. He turned to Manabu, then forward again.

"I find you attractive," Byou began. "You're cute. I just... If you don't feel that way back..." He stopped, then chuckled. Manabu was surprised when he stood up. "I'm really sorry. I know you don't feel that way. I wanted to say it anyway, though. It's been driving me mad. But hey, it's off my chest now." He scratched the back of his head. "If you want to forget about this, that...that would probably be a good idea..."

He didn't even get in a full step forward before Manabu panicked and grabbed the bottom of his shirt. Byou was completely shocked at this action. He looked back down at Manabu, whose eyes were just a tad wider than usual. Obviously he was shocked at this outcome as well.

"Um..." he mumbled, still unsure of what to say. "You...can stay..."

"Are you telling me not to go?" Byou couldn't help but tease him ever so slightly.

Manabu was overwhelmed with everything rushing through his head. He could feel his heart rate slowly begin to accumulate in his chest. Yes, that's exactly what he was trying to convey to him. They should talk things out. Clear everything up.

But....Manabu had a feeling that neither of them wanted to simply talk out their bottled-up feelings at this specific time.

Byou climbed onto the bed and sat on his knees next to the guitarist. He brushed the strands of Manabu's hair to the side and planted a kiss on his cheek. He stopped for a second to see how Manabu would react. If he would object, he wouldn't keep going. He wasn't going to ruin their friendship with something like that.

Manabu could feel a chill steadily crawling along his skin. His fingers gripped at the sheets. He turned to face Byou.

Oh, there were no signs of objection in those eyes.

Their mouths met within seconds. It was slow, but passionate, like many first kisses might be. Lips passed over lips, skin softening with each kiss. The stress in Manabu's closed eyelids faded away, and the tension in his muscles relaxed. This was really happening.

Several moments of this contact had passed before they parted, and gazed fixedly at each other. Byou kissed Manabu's forehead, the top of his cheekbone, right beside his lips, now he was eyeing that little silver labret piercing...

Manabu felt Byou's smooth lips firmly slip over his again. Warm hands settled on his shoulders; he ran his thin fingers through Byou's long, brown hair.

Manabu let out a slight breath of surprise when Byou's tongue entered his mouth. It peeked in and out as their lips moved, and Manabu's tongue collided with his, over and over, their slow kisses turning into a hot, wet mess.

By the time they pulled apart they were both panting. Byou eyed Manabu, his sly grin returning at the sight of the man in front of him, obviously turned on by this situation. The guitarist watched as Byou reached for the light switch on the wall, soon leaving the two in the dull glow that the moon created through the blinds in the window.

"I don't take you as someone who asks to leave the lights on," said Byou.

Manabu felt the anticipation traveling through him as Byou crawled across the bed to him. Manabu pulled him in close, taking him in another hard embrace, feeling as their tongues mingled and their hot breath passed over each other in a frenzy once again.

Hands were sliding down to his ass. Manabu sighed as Byou's hot, wet lips slid over and around his own. His hands clawed at his back, practically begging him to take off his shirt before he had to tear it off himself. Finally Byou corresponded with his request and lifted his top over his head. Manabu did the same, but Byou had impatiently pulled the t-shirt over Manabu's head before he could do it himself. 

Pressing against him, Manabu traced every inch of Byou's exposed body that he could. Their lips uniting again, he lay his hands on Byou's broad chest and slowly ran them down to his firm abdomen.

"I want to touch you..." Byou panted.

His fingers made their way to a nipple, slowly rubbing. Manabu tilted his head back and moaned as Byou's tongue came next, sucking at the bud. His tongue flicked back and forth over it, sucking gently before moving on to the other one.

"Byou..." gasped Manabu.

"Do you want to touch me too?" asked the other man.

Manabu could only manage a nod while he kissed Byou's jaw, then his neck. His hands ran smoothly along his chest before his tongue slipped around a nipple. He heard a moan deep in the back of Byou's throat. Oh god, he wanted to hear that again. The feeling of having brought him pleasure... He sucked gently, letting his tongue flicker over the flesh. All the while he could feel fingers clumsily moving below his belt...

In just a matter of seconds their last items of clothing were tossed haphazardly onto the floor as well.

Byou grasped the other's wrists, and before he knew it Manabu was being pushed into the mattress. Byou straddled him and kept his arms pinned down. Excitement rushed through all of the guitarist's body as he stared up into his new lover's gleaming eyes just before he leaned down to kiss him again.

Manabu moaned louder as Byou went from planting kisses along his jawline to sucking at his neck. He bit down on the flesh, hard, then ran his tongue along the marks. Manabu shivered beneath Byou's trap---if it could even be considered such. It's not like he would attempt an escape even if he could.

Then Byou's hand moved down below the waist and began stroking Manabu's cock.

Manabu felt as if this was all moving too fast, they had just admitted how they felt, but at this point he truly didn't care. They had been friends for years, after all. Of course, this was Byou. If Manabu wanted to jump into bed with anyone, it was definitely with one of PSC's biggest sex icons. And not for that reason, but because he truly knew the kind face behind the makeup and the high-res magazine photos.

"You're gorgeous," Byou sighed against his skin, tracing his lips down to Manabu's flat stomach. "Baby you're beautiful... Manabu..."

Manabu was stopped short from moaning Byou's name in return when a tongue smoothed over his erection, trailing down the entire length. Before long he felt the heat of Byou's mouth enclose around it, and slowly move up and down. Manabu ran his hands wildly through Byou's messy hair, tugging at little strands of it every now and then. His whole body shivered.

"Yes...!" he gasped. "Byou, please..."

Byou sucked slowly, being as thorough as he possibly could. Manabu felt as if he might go completely insane, feeling every little trace of his tongue tasting him, each moan passing through his diaphragm. He had never felt this much pleasure before in his life. Byou's fingers held on to him, and occasionally he would take hold of Manabu's thighs, pushing them apart to give himself better access.

Manabu could hardly believe what was happening right now. But no matter how unexpected this outcome was, Manabu could not deny everything he was feeling. Byou sped up the movements of his mouth, taking in Manabu's length as deeply as he could. He trembled, feeling that he couldn't take it anymore. Manabu held tightly to the bed.

The vocalist's tongue flicked swiftly over the head, and at last Manabu cried out, one long moan, arching up from the sheets, ecstasy passing through his entire being. He felt drained, but was far from finished.

"Let... Let me..." he begged.

"Do what you want to me," Byou panted. "Touch me..."

Manabu nearly stumbled to switch places with him. His mind could not function clearly. Yet he knew what he wanted. He looked down at Byou, naked and breathless beneath him, and felt a sense of pleasure he had never experienced before.

Wet kisses trailed from Byou's collarbone, leaving nips in his skin, tender marks of Manabu's affection, down to just above his erection. He lifted his head off the bed when Manabu paused.

"Don't stop..." he pleaded. "You don't have to stop. Don't..."

Manabu's tongue slithered over Byou's cock, causing Byou to let out another heavy moan. Manabu slipped the member between his lips and closed his eyes while his mouth did the work. Byou was already so close, the mere sight of the other man's pleasure nearly driving him to the end.

Manabu rubbed Byou's cock as his mouth moved up and down over the length. It felt so good, it felt right, god, how he wanted this... He worked with speed, but paused at times to provide one long suck. Byou's back writhed at the intimate touches.

An ecstatic feeling passed through him as Byou let out a long moan as the come passed. Manabu felt a strange sense of pride creep into the back of his mind as he collapsed onto the mattress next to Byou. They gazed into each other's eyes for a short moment, checking that all this was in reality, before they moved in close in order for their lips to meet in a few last embraces, and the room became still.

"Manabu," Byou said at last, turning his head toward him.

"What?" asked Manabu when he didn't say anything more.

"You never really answered. Am I making you uncomfortable right now? You should tell me these things," he joked.

Manabu's face broke into a grin, and Byou couldn't help but do the same.

Manabu closed his eyes, and Byou scooted himself against his body. He spent the rest of the night encased in Byou's arms.

"I don't think..." Manabu said, "...that I've ever been more comfortable in my life."


	2. Real

Faint traces of sunlight filtered through the curtains and washed over the hotel room when Manabu's eyes slowly parted. Still not ready to wake up, he sighed, shut his eyes tight, and tried to burrow himself further underneath the covers. He froze in momentary confusion when he realized that another arm was wrapped around him.

Oh yeah, how could he ever forget?

He looked over at Byou. The vocalist's eyes were still shut, his head tilted to one side, his exposed chest slowly rising and falling as he remained sound asleep. Manabu couldn't help but gaze at him. His unkempt brown hair swirled around his head and fell onto the deep blue pillow; his face looked so sweetly peaceful. He eyed the lines of his collarbone, the curve of his shoulders...

He was beautiful in every way.

Manabu was so entranced by his beauty, in fact, that he never noticed that Byou's eyes had opened.

"Ah!" Manabu uttered his surprise, and lowered his head as he felt his face blush.

A smile crept along Byou's lips at having caught him off guard.

"Good morning," he said, his voice husky. He reached over and kissed the top of Manabu's head.

"Good morning," Manabu replied, curling up against Byou's chest while the other man's arms held him closer.

"Did you sleep well?"

Manabu nodded his head.

The two lay in silence for a long time, simply enjoying the comfort of having the other so close. Byou's fingers slowly traced the other man's skin, leaving chills along his arms.

This was all that Manabu wanted. He had been such close friends with Byou for so many years. They were bandmates, and best friends. They had been through so much together. Yet it wasn't until perhaps a year ago that Manabu felt himself yearning for his company more and more. When he was bored, when he was out doing something, when he sat in his apartment alone late into the night... He wasn't sure how to express his thoughts to even himself, let alone Byou, who may not have felt the same way. 

But as the months dragged on, Manabu sensed a sort of tension between the two of them, and he came to suspect that it wasn't one-sided. Still, being such good friends, neither decided to take action. All that time of being together, yet never having the courage to reach out to one another...Until last night of course. Their fears were tossed aside, and now everything was okay. No, everything was more than okay. This was, after all, all that Manabu had been craving for so long. 

He felt his eyelids slowly drop once again.

It wasn't long after that that Byou kissed the top of his head once more and spoke.

"I want nothing more than to just lie in bed with you all day," he stated, "but we need to get up and get ready before the day ends."

Manabu was upset at the thought of leaving his arms, but remained silent and rolled off of Byou. The two sat up and slowly made their way out from under the covers. Byou gathered up his clothes from the floor while Manabu tossed his bag into the bathroom for a shower. Byou looked up at him, then turned his direction to his clothes as he slowly climbed back into them.

"You might want to cover that up," he advised.

Manabu wondered what he meant, but then saw his reflection in the giant mirror above the sink. The red teeth marks on his upper body were incredibly obvious; he blushed at the sight, remembering every little nip that had made its way from his neck to his chest, how Byou's teeth scraped at his skin...

"Yeah..." he said, turning away from the image. He wasn't sure if he was just imagining it, but when his eyes wandered back over to Byou, he swore he saw a smirk and detected an air of pride lingering about him.

*     *     *

It turned out that Byou's bags were in the other hotel room---Manabu's original roommate was to be Jin, who had the other key card to this room, but decided against entering. He didn't want to interrupt whatever could have been going on. 

This of course caused Manabu to wonder....did Jin and Kazuki know? Did they suspect something? I mean, they shouldn't have, right? It was only last night. He and Byou liked to just hang out by themselves, just like any two of the members. The two couldn't possibly have aroused suspicion. Even though Byou didn't return to his originally assigned room, it could have easily been assumed that he fell asleep or simply didn't feel like leaving. 

Manabu supposed he would find out when he met up with the other members. In the meantime he would just worry internally to himself.

When he stepped out of the shower, his phone had received a text from Kazuki, asking him to meet them all downstairs in the hotel's dining room for breakfast. He hurried to get dressed, brushed out his silky hair while he quickly ran a blow dryer through it, and made his way down the hall and to the elevator.

He found the table that Kazuki and Jin were already seated at; Byou hadn't arrived yet. Manabu pulled his sweatshirt closer around his neck as he made his way over to them. 

"There you are!" greeted Kazuki with a warm smile. "Pretty soon it won't even be time for breakfast. Were you two up that late?"

"Oh, not too late," said Manabu. Was his face red? He wasn't sure. He hoped not. "I was just worn out from the live."

"Next up: Osaka," said Jin. "Your hometown! Rest up until then."

"I will."

"We'll have to all say hi to your family while we're there," said Kazuki. 

Yes, thought Manabu. I'll just sit and hold my breath as I watch my parents talk to the man I'm now sleeping with, watch as they sit there and suspect nothing... And they'll never know, and I'll have to keep this secret for the rest of my life. It feels like I'm lying to them. But...what if they found out? Maybe I should just hide Byou...

He nodded. "Sure."

The three of them had received drinks and were preparing to order food when Byou finally strided up to them.

"Morning," he said. "Sorry for taking so long." He plopped down in the chair on either side of Kazuki and Jin, directly across from Manabu.

"Good, we can all order now," said Kazuki. "I'm starving."

"I was ready to order no matter who was and wasn't here yet," said Jin. "Something smells so sweet... It's making my stomach growl like crazy."

Kazuki and Jin picked up their menus and hungrily locked their eyes on the variety of meals offered to them. Manabu reached for the menu in front of him; he glanced up at Byou while he opened it.

Byou looked up from his own menu, and caught Manabu's eye. He winked.

The corners of Manabu's mouth curved up ever so slightly, and he attempted, yet failed, to discreetly hide behind his menu. Any other time Byou could have done that and Manabu would have simply laughed or even winked back at him jokingly. Now....now it could be more than mere playfulness, and Manabu felt a strong sense of shyness that he wished would disappear.

The four of them talked among themselves while they ate. Halfway through the meal Jin had them gather together on one side of the table for a picture. They all wrapped their arms around each other; Byou and Manabu remained cool and serious while Kazuki and Jin made silly faces. Then they proceeded with their conversation while Jin smiled at the photo of his friends before putting away his phone.

They were all to head back home that day. The next live wasn't for several days; this gave them a bit of time to themselves to relax or prepare for the next performance before they set out to Osaka to get ready and put on another show.

Content with their stomachs full of delicious nourishment, they were ready to once more pack up their belongings and be on their way. 

"Hey, Manabu," said Byou as they neared the elevator, "will it take you long to pack?"

"No, it shouldn't," answered Manabu.

"Alright, then come with me for a few minutes; I want to see that aquarium they have in the lobby."

"Sure."

"Don't take too long," warned Kazuki. "We'll see you in a bit."

Byou and Manabu continued past the elevator while the doors slid shut, vanishing the other guitarist and drummer. 

"You know," Byou spoke up after a moment, Manabu looking at him, "I figured they would say something. I'm surprised that they didn't."

"Do they know?" asked Manabu. To have sat through the meal while the other two knew what was going on without him mentioning it.... It made things seem awkward now. He felt like a liar, like they might think he didn't trust them enough to admit what happened.

"Honestly, I don't believe that they do. You know that if they did they would have come up with some scheme to initiate the discussion." The two entered the lobby. He pondered for a moment. "Or then again, maybe they were just trying to protect your innocent image. Don't want to think about their little guitarist getting up close and personal behind the scenes with yours truly."

Manabu subtly looked away now, centering his attention on the aquarium. It took up practically the entire wall.

"...I'm not little," was all he managed to mumble.

They watched a variety fish, both small and large, swam about in the crystal clear water, meandering behind and around various plants and Atlantis-themed decorations. Their multi-colored scales reflected against the light and their fins moved about so smoothly they resembled wisping smoke. They really were rather enchanting to watch.

"Why don't you come over for awhile?" asked Byou. "Unless you're tired, of course, or just want to be alone in your own home. I'd understand."

"No, I'm fine," assured Manabu, his eyes following a scarlet fish with faint black stripes. "I'll come over." He hadn't wanted to sound needy, but since Byou was making the offer...

"Great. In that case, we had better get going. Kazuki and Jin are probably already heading downstairs." Byou continued to watch the rainbow of fish for another moment. He extended a finger. "Also...that fish looks like you."

Manabu's eyes wandered to the spot that he was pointing at. Inhabiting the front corner of the tank was a bright yellow tang fish.

Manabu laughed. But as Byou made his way toward the exit, he continued to watch the fish. They each studied the strange creature of a different species staring back at them through the glass. Manabu subconsciously moved his hand up to his hair, then examined a lock, comparing it to the bright hue of the fish. 

Byou stepped back over and gripped his arm, pulling him away.

"I'm joking," he laughed. "Come on already..."

That was how Manabu and Byou ended up at the same destination. Because they didn't leave until late morning, the drive took up much of the afternoon, especially because of an unusual traffic jam due to an accident. They finally reached the vocalist's home and Byou fumbled for the keys to the door. Once they were finally inside he tossed his things to the side, figuring he'd just put them away later. Organization was not a priority on the first day back.

"I'm ready to just relax," said Byou, plopping down onto the long, wide couch positioned to one side of the room. "I'll save my energy for the next live." He patted the seat next to him.

After hanging his hoodie on a hook by the door, Manabu sat beside him on the couch, but obviously not close enough, because Byou wrapped an arm around him and pulled him in just a bit tighter.

"So much free time tonight," Byou yawned. "I wonder what we should do..." He tilted his head to the side and lifted his eyes toward the ceiling, as if in thought; then he turned back to the other man and grinned.

Manabu laughed at his lame remarks. Honestly, it felt good to just sit around and hang out with Byou like they often did. But hey, if there was going to be a little more touching involved in this hangout, he sure wasn't going to complain.

Manabu relaxed a bit, leaning into Byou. Byou brushed through his hair with his fingers, tucking one side behind his ear.

"Maybe I'll just sit here and play with your hair all day," he said, twiddling it between his thumb and fingers.

"Go right ahead," said Manabu. "Maybe I'll tug on yours a bit too."

"I'll hold that against you, you know that, right?"

Manabu lifted his head back to come face to face with Byou. The vocalist smirked at him before leaning in and planting a simple, light kiss upon his lips. Another quickly followed. And another... Then Byou's lips grew firm as he pressed harder against the other man's mouth. At that point they both knew they wouldn't be moving apart any time soon.

Barely separating from Byou, Manabu turned himself around on the sofa. He crawled up to Byou, placing himself in his lap, wrapping his hands around him, moving up and down his back, and along his shoulders. Byou's hands traveled down to Manabu's hips, slipping beneath his shirt and settling on his slender waist.

Byou's lips parted, seeking out Manabu's tongue. He gratefully answered the request, his own tongue bumping against Byou's, and the two were quickly engaged in a heated embrace that neither could escape from.

Manabu's knees were on either side of Byou. His hands now traced the muscles of his arms and shoulders. He wanted to touch him everywhere, feel his smooth skin beneath his fingertips... He pressed further onto the vocalist, not a single millimeter of space left between them. He grinded against him, yet he still didn't feel like he was close enough.

When their lips parted for a split second, Manabu gasped, caught off guard, when Byou firmly grasped his shoulders and swiftly pulled him down on top of him. He was breathless as he gaped intently at Byou lying beneath him, pressed into the soft gray cushions, held in place by his trap. His hair had strayed away from his face, fully revealing the glint in his eyes, the sharp lines of his cheekbones and jawline, the brightness of his smug grin as he gazed up at his lover.

Byou may have seemed dominant by default, but he couldn't disguise the fact that the idea of Manabu taking control and towering over him was a major turn on.

Manabu once more slipped his lips over Byou's. He trailed to the side of his mouth and moved down to his collarbone. He heard a moan from Byou as he nipped slowly down his neck. Chills ran down his arms. He felt his clothes grow tighter and hotter as he grinded against the man beneath him, kissing leisurely at his neck all the while.

Half from nerves and half from excitement, Manabu's fingers worked clumsily at the buttons on the front of Byou's black top. Byou let out a breath as fingers brushed over both nipples. Manabu rubbed one between is thumb and forefinger. He moved down and sucked at a bud. Byou gasped as the other's tongue slipped over and around and his soft lips slowly trailed by.

Byou's hands had begun tugging at the bottom of Manabu's shirt. The guitarist stopped and hurriedly tossed his shirt over his head and onto the floor. Once more impatient, Byou undid the silver buckle of his studded belt and unfastened the zipper. Manabu tossed the last of his clothes onto the floor. He wasn't going to leave Byou out of this. He pulled the same move, undoing the zipper of his fashionably frayed jeans. 

"I want you to do whatever you want," Byou said, breathlessly. He took the the back of Manabu's head with one hand, pulling him down for another hot, passionate kiss, making sure his tongue peeked into as much of his mouth as it could. "I want you to touch me. Don't stop. Touch me..."

Manabu smoothly splayed his hands over Byou's hard abdomen. He traced the lines of his muscles down, lower, almost teasing him with how slow his movements were. A repressed sound came from Byou's throat as the tips of Manabu's fingers touched just the right places.

His fingers slid up and down Byou's cock, brushing his thumb over the tip and feeling his body heat up more and more as Byou shuddered with absolute pleasure. Manabu had never even imagined the thrill of taking the lead and providing this feeling of ecstasy to him. 

His hands drifted to the side, resting on Byou's thighs, as his lips took their place and he began to suck.

Somehow any feeling of hesitation had fled from Manabu's body overnight. All he knew now was that he wanted Byou, he wanted to touch Byou, he wanted Byou to touch him... 

Byou moaned his name, his one arm residing above his head, tautly gripping the cushions while his new lover devoured him without pause. It was so unexpected of him, it only managed to excite Byou the more he thought about it. The geeky guitarist, the normally quiet one, looming about him and touching every inch of his skin, all image of innocence gone as he didn't hesitate to put his hands on him...

"Manabu..."

Manabu's tongue ran tenderly down the shaft, feeling what was surely now all for him and him only. This feeling of having someone, having Byou, all to himself... He was growing hotter by the minute with all the thoughts coursing through his mind. Had he ever felt like this before?

He considered every move, making sure he provided Byou with the utmost pleasure. His tongue moved along with his lips, flicking over the tip teasingly.

"There...!" Byou gasped.

"Like this?" Manabu teased innocently, and repeated the move.

Byou tossed back his head. "Mana..."

Manabu's lips locked tightly around his erection, making sure his tongue teased at the tip while Byou begged for more. If Byou had never pictured this side of Manabu, then it was without a doubt that Manabu had never pictured this side of Byou, either.

At last Byou let out a sharp cry, arching forward. Manabu breathed hard as he witnessed the image of the man beneath him. He felt a yearning throb at the sight; it echoed through his entire being. Byou sank down to the couch, panting, eyes closed. 

And Manabu shivered with the unexpected grasp to his own hardness. 

"Ah...!"

"Don't think I'm not going to pleasure you as well," Byou purred. He may have been drained from the love he received, but that was definitely not going to stop him from returning the feeling.

With his other arm Byou pressed his hand to Manabu's back and pulled him down. The guitarist gasped sharply, closing his eyes---he was so close now. And now his face was mere inches away from Byou's as he weakly attempted to prop himself up with his arms. He could see that devilish smile.... God, he swore that smile itself touched him in the most sensuous ways possible. All the while Byou's hand fisted harder, his fingers then letting up and brushing oh so gently in all the right places before going back, moving quickly along the shaft.

"I love seeing you like this," whispered Byou. "I love having the power to break your cool image... You're gorgeous..."

While Byou enjoyed being the bottom of the party now and then, his sadistic ways couldn't hold him back forever.

The man on top of him was so close to crumbling down onto his body. Manabu moaned at the firm touch of Byou's fingertips, the long rub of his hands... His body trembled, threatening to give way as he hovered just above his lover. Byou's thumb brushed along the head. The sound from Manabu's throat informed Byou of how to please him next. His fingers danced around, held tightly as they moved up and down, and this thumb brushed back and forth over the tip, repeating the move faster and faster.

Manabu's eyes shut tightly and his body gave way, collapsing onto Byou as he let out a cry of his own, ecstasy flowing from him.

He lay and tried to settle his breath. Byou pet the back of his head, trailing through his hair and tracing the lines of his shoulders.

"You were amazing," Byou whispered into his ear.

With Manabu's worn out head on his shoulder, Byou brushed back the straight blond locks that had entangled themselves into a frenzy. Manabu lifted his head to face him. Both panting, they gazed fixedly into each other's eyes, running their hands through each other's hair wildly before locking lips in a hot embrace. They had gone so long apart, and now they behaved as if they could be pulled away once more, not wanting to separate for even a minute.

Slowly their tongues retreated, leaving only feather-light kisses. When they parted, Byou's face took on a puzzled expression as he smoothed his fingers along Manabu's fine cheekbones.

"Huh."

"What?" wondered Manabu.

"We never actually told them."

And once again Manabu was left to wonder whether or not their affection for each other was known to their other friends.

They moved into a more comfortable cuddling position, carelessly laughing at the mess they were as they cleaned up. Soon Manabu was pressed once more against Byou; the other's arms surrounded him tightly. Sweetly drained, Manabu dropped his head onto his shoulder. Byou kissed the top of his hair. 

Manabu began to worry less about whether or not their friends knew about this. It didn't matter. He just wanted to know that it was real. He wanted to lie here in Byou's apartment, wrapped around his body, feeling his chest moving with each breath that passed through him. He wanted to curl his fingers around his, inhale the vague scent of cologne and cigarettes. He wanted to feel the two of them, alone in the apartment, not to be disturbed by anyone or anything, the world allowing them to be together at last.


	3. The Goddamn Door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They never wanted their relationship to be a secret, so it's a good thing Jin and Kazuki find out very soon. But...couldn't they have found out some other way?

Manabu sat in the silent conference room, his head in his arms as he stared straight ahead at the wall. They were having a quick meeting at a small PSC office before heading to a nearby in-store event. Despite having spent the past few days by himself and being able to sleep soundly in his own bed, he felt his eyes forcing themselves shut. He was growing bored without the other members, and no staff or anyone were in the room at the time. 

He supposed he did show up pretty early, but he didn't want to admit to the fact that he was starting to miss having company around and was eager to see his friends. No, he just didn't want to be stuck in early morning traffic. 

Two quick raps at the door alerted him and he lifted his head. Byou shut the door behind him and walked over.

"Hey," he greeted, standing behind Manabu's chair.

"Hey," the other replied.

"Well?"

"Well...?"

Byou shook his head as if disappointed. "Can't I even get so much as a hug?"

"Oh. Well, yeah..." No one was in the room, why didn't he think of giving Byou a quick hug or kiss hello? Isn't that what couples did? He may not have been so into the big, gushy, emotional displays of public affection, but he could most certainly spare a hug now and then.

Manabu stood up and wrapped his arms around him. Byou squeezed him tight in return. The guitarist considered telling him that he missed him, but decided against it. It hadn't been that long. He wasn't needy. Once they both lowered their arms, Manabu stepped backward so he could return to his chair.

But Byou immediately came forward, closing the gap. Not expecting the sudden move, Manabu tumbled back a bit, bumping into the table behind him. He glanced back at it before giving Byou a warning look.

"We shouldn't..." he trailed off.

But he hardly resisted when Byou gently pushed him to sit on the tabletop, one leg between his, then leaned in and kissed his cheek. He pushed back Manabu's hair, giving his lips access to his neck.

"Somebody's going to walk in on us," cautioned Manabu.

"Don't worry," Byou assured. "There's still a ton of time before any of us were supposed to show up. And you know everybody always knocks like I did."

Manabu was very apprehensive about the whole thing, but he had to admit that when Byou's lips overlapped with his, he was glad for the contact. Within seconds the tension in his shoulders had nearly vanished. Byou's right hand rested upon his knee. Manabu took the back of his head, keeping him close.

What better way to perk up for an event than this?

Manabu sighed as his lips parted. Byou's tongue tasted his own, intricately moving along before vanishing, then teasingly reappearing after every couple kisses. Manabu leaned back farther, only a short distance away from laying flat on the table. Byou pushed against him, on the verge of mounting it and climbing over him. A hand began to smooth over Manabu's chest. Their hands wandered, their kisses heated up with every touch... 

Unknowingly, Byou had lied to the guitarist, for in the midst of their passionate embrace the door swung open to reveal Jin. At first the drummer hardly noticed anything, focused on shutting the door; then he looked up and his eyebrows lifted in surprise.

"Woah!" he shouted.

The two nearly smacked heads in shock. Manabu quickly separated his mouth from Byou's while the hands under his shirt vanished. He nervously tried push him away. He slipped off the table and stood with one arm crossed, the other twiddling with his hair, his ruby red face staring straight down at the floor in embarrassment. He shut his eyes, wondering if perhaps everything would go away if he couldn't actually see it. Byou was less bothered by the whole event, but felt a little bad for making Manabu feel embarrassed like that. Guess he didn't like the idea of his friends seeing him in that kind of situation. No blame there.

Then came a knock at the door, and Kazuki entered the room. He looked confused at the scene before him. Everyone was standing: Jin, next to the door, looking around at anything but the other members; Manabu, his downturned face veiled by his hair, arms nervously wrapped around himself; and Byou, about a foot away from Manabu, casually looking around, though his eyes kept wandering over to Manabu and trying to study his hidden face.

"...Don't tell me I missed something important," Kazuki spoke up. Like a jagged knife he felt his words attempt to slice through the awkward aura lingering about the place and knew that in fact he had.

Suddenly Jin turned to him and punched his arm hard.

"I knew it!" he exclaimed. "And you didn't think so!"

Kazuki furrowed his eyebrows. "Knew wha..." He studied the other two members in the room. It didn't take long for his expression to become enlightened. "Ohh... Huh. I see."

Byou grew a bit concerned, as Manabu had not moved at all for well over a minute or two now. Was he paralyzed? He moved closer to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Finally he bent down to seek out his face.

"Anybody home?" he joked. 

He stood upright once Manabu lifted his head. Byou chuckled and wrapped an arm around him. Manabu leaned in to him slightly but kept his cool gaze on the ground, afraid that if he met anybody's eyes his head might burst.

"So..." drawled Jin, coming over and taking a seat.

"Since the night of the last live," answered Byou before the question was uttered aloud.

He caught Jin throw Kazuki a look. The guitarist merely shrugged.

So Jin had suspected them, and had asked Kazuki about it too. Manabu decided that they should have told them in the first place.

Byou gave Manabu one last squeeze before they all sat down around the table. Somehow the air was still heavy. Manabu could hardly will himself to keep eye contact with anybody for the time being.

_It could have been worse..._ he kept repeating to himself for comfort.

At last he fully lifted his head and eyes, his blushing under control. The tension cleared as their manager quickly knocked and opened the door, asking questions straightaway. Soon afterward the meeting began and everyone forgot about the grand discovery.

Manabu couldn't help but let his mind wander away from the discussion every few moments. He felt some of the weight lift off of his shoulders now that Kazuki and Jin had found out about him and Byou, even if it was done in the most awkward way possible. He thought there would be actual words involved, not their friend waltzing in on him sitting back on a table with their vocalist pressed against him, mouths open and tongues visible. But now that they were past that small and awkward step, what came next?

Although he tried his hardest, somehow Manabu's ears had completely tuned out. Therefore he panicked when he caught the sound of his name and glanced up to see everybody turning in his direction.

"...Yeah," he said, obviously unsure of what he was agreeing to. 

"So it's settled," said Kazuki, smacking the palm of his hand onto the table. "We light the drums on fire, then release the tigers on stage during 'Red Thread,' and then--"

"Fuck you guys," Manabu muttered, laughing.

"You spaced out," said Byou. "Pull your head back in!"

He did just that, not wanting to be caught in a third awkward situation that day, although it was bound to happen eventually. Wasn't there a saying? Bad things come in threes? He would have to maintain a countdown from now on.

The meeting soon came to a close. That third disaster had not yet arrived, though it was early. They still had an entire event that could easily collapse into a downward spiral. Manabu took a deep breath and reminded himself to stop worrying so much. He was getting worked up over absolutely nothing.

Everyone began to file out of the room. Byou stood up to leave, then stopped when he saw Manabu, last one still in his seat, glaring at him.

"What?" he asked.

The guitarist's eyes continued to pierce through him. "You lied."

"Okay, everybody but Jin always knocks."

*     *     *

The event did not go down in flames as Manabu had feared. 

It was quite fun in fact. Soon after their arrival to the store the members were tossed into photos with their merchandise. Feeling pretty confident at that point, Manabu didn't even shield his face from the camera with some random object every time a camera stood in front of him.

There were quite a number of fans present at the event. They all looked enthusiastic as the members walked in and took their places. When the signing began, the line of people seemed like it would never end. The people were rushed along as they handed over bags and CDs and other objects to be signed and said hello. 

There were more pictures, a couple of which were taken on members' phones for social media purposes. The four took a marker and scribbled their signatures onto the large poster over their new music display. And before they knew it Manabu, Byou, Jin, and Kazuki were expressing their thank-you's and goodbye's and were on their way out the door.

Of course they were all hungry by this point, so they wound up at a small restaurant just a few blocks over. They were seated in a booth in the far corner, away from the eyes and ears of the other handful of occupied tables.

The waitress scurried off with their orders. Manabu rested his arms on top of the table and leaned back. Byou, sitting next to him, placed his hand over Manabu's.

The guitarist was half tempted to pull away, but refrained from doing so for fear of hurting Byou's feelings. Of course he wanted to hold his hand, too. This did not stop his from blushing, though.

"So..." started Kazuki, his eyes wandering to their hands. "You two, huh..."

"I thought something was up," spoke up Jin. 

"Yeah... I guess the big clue was when you two were in the same room until morning, even though that wasn't Byou's room. But I figured that maybe you had just fallen asleep or gotten wasted or something. Nothing out of the ordinary."

"But when you finally showed up in the morning, you were just in too good of a mood."

"Like you were walking on air."

"I recognized it right away..."

Manabu died a little each time they mentioned another clue that he and Byou had given away that said they weren't merely having a conversation in the hotel room that night.

"You two are definitely going to be the new hot topic of PSC," Kazuki commented.

Manabu fearfully looked into his eyes. Kazuki saw the worry storming in and felt guilty. He forgot that Manabu might not find that funny. He received the usual attention of any famous musician, but when it came to his personal life, he wasn't always as open as some of the others. He opened his mouth to reassure him that it would be okay, but Byou beat him to it.

"Doesn't matter," asserted Byou. "It's not like we're embarrassed. They can go ahead and place us in the spotlight. Right, Manabu?"

The worry was still clouding his brain. "Right," he managed to say at last.

Byou watched him out of the corner of his eye while a new topic of conversation rose among the band. Something was off.

When he saw the waitress heading their way, he also slipped his hand back to his own personal space.

Manabu was sad to feel it disappear.

*     *     *

By late in the evening the couple had ended up at Manabu's place this time. It was similar in size to Byou's apartment, but the major difference was its aura of homely comfort. The furniture and decorations, while still very nice, were of a little less theme and organization, set out more for relaxation and convenience.

The main reason for this, though, was that Manabu was a total geek.

There was a tall bookshelf with neat rows of various romance novels, manga, and miscellaneous stories. The main room was still set up as a gaming center rather than a parlor area. A controller lay abandoned on a black bean bag; a couple of little knick-knacks and character figurines surrounded the computer set up at the desk.

Manabu's character displayed itself prominently here.

The guitarist picked up a half-read paperback from the couch and placed it on the table. He yawned as he sat down. He looked up to be sure that Byou would be joining him. As hoped the vocalist lowered himself onto the couch. Manabu scooted closer and rested his head on his shoulder, a now default position when they were together.

"...Are you embarrassed to be with me?" Byou suddenly asked out of the blue.

Manabu's eyes widened in surprise and he lifted his head back up.

"Why would I be embarrassed?" he asked.

"Well..." Byou bit his lip and focused his eyes ahead. "I don't quite know, honestly. I mean, it's obvious that our personalities are a bit opposite, but that's never been a bother, of course. We've been friends for years. But you just seem...uncomfortable...when we're around other people..."

"No, I just..." He trailed off, unsure of how to explain this. 

Manabu was very well-known and respected, of course. But Byou was always a bit of a hot topic in the visual kei scene. He was a noteworthy face for the band. And of course, a drop-dead gorgeous model. He got along well with other people, even if he was shy around some of them. But Manabu.... Sure he was popular, he got along well with almost everyone he met, and he had made some great friends like Tohya from vistlip or Kira from DEZERT. But sometimes he just preferred to stay out of the spotlight now and then.

"It's the attention," said Byou after a pause. 

Bingo. Manabu glanced downward. "Well... Just a bit."

"Do you want to keep it a secret?"

Manabu fervently shook his head.

"Not at all," he insisted. "I suppose....I should be used to a bit of attention toward our personal lives by now. I don't mind that, of course. I just... I don't want people making a scene of it. I want us to be known, without a doubt, but I don't want a personal matter to become a public one for people's entertainment. I guess that's sort of what I'm thinking...?"

Byou nodded in understanding. 

"Alright," he said. "So let's see. Touching in front of a camera is of course a no. Well... To an extent. I'm not sure how PSC would react, or if they would at all... On stage it just kind of happens... Around Kazuki and Jin?"

"They're our bandmates, and our friends."

"Right. So we're good around them. Public? Probably only when safe, huh... How about other bands?"

Manabu thought for a moment, then shrugged.

"Maybe see if they know and how they react," suggested Byou. "See if you remember how they reacted to other couples announcing themselves. How much they were thrown in as a new source for gossip and speculation."

Manabu nodded. While Byou was a bit opposite, Manabu was not a huge fan of PDA, so it meant a lot to him that he was making sure he wouldn't cause him to feel uncomfortable.

Of course he was proud as hell to say how much he cared about Byou, and he was the same. But... Byou had had other lovers in the past. Many more than Manabu ever had. At events or backstage with other bands he would catch somebody wink at him, touch him flirtatiously as he walked by, whisper into his ear, or make any number of gestures... And sometimes Byou returned the attention. 

Manabu wanted to know that this relationship was real, that it meant something. He didn't want to be seen as another guy trying to get in on the action. He didn't want either of them to be treated like that. He wanted them to see that this time around it was different for them both. This was real.

"If... If you want to, though... I'm okay," said Manabu. "Really."

"I'll always make sure you're okay," Byou stated firmly, wrapping his arm around Manabu. The guitarist smiled and leaned into him.

"I'd never be embarrassed to be with you," said Manabu. "Never."

Byou kissed the top of his blond head.

"You're precious to me, you know?"

God, how he wanted to hear things like that over and over. Those words made Manabu feel as if he was the only one Byou could ever even think about. He wanted his breath to creep over his skin, spitting out words of affection. He wanted to take a place in Byou's heart as big as the one he took in his.

Byou lowered his head closer. Manabu lifted his, and they slowly united into a gentle kiss. 

No, he could never be embarrassed about this. 

The light touches didn't last long. Byou was magnetic to Manabu. Once their lips met neither could even imagine pulling away. Of course there was no reason to. At this moment they just wanted to get closer and closer...

Byou's lips parted, seeking an entrance to Manabu's mouth, to which he complied. Their hot breath mingled as Byou tugged at his shirt, begging him to come closer. Manabu crawled onto his lap, arms around his neck. A pair of hands reached under his shirt and wandered about frenetically.

When their mouths parted, gasping for breath, Byou uttered one word.

"Bed?"

Already knowing the answer, he stood up once the other man removed himself from his lap, and he offered his hand to Manabu. He took it, and was ushered into his own bedroom, where he quickly closed the door behind him. Byou took both his wrists and pinned him against the door, pressing their bodies together. Two sets of lips once more met in a hot embrace.

Manabu felt the heat rapidly crawling down his body. He was beginning to feel trapped in his tight clothes. God, how he wanted Byou to just rip them off of him. Byou temptingly bit Manabu's lower lip. Their eyes met in a seductive gaze. The other man shuddered as a long, slow kiss sucked at his neck. A low sound emerged from Manabu's throat. He felt the corners of Byou's mouth curve upward against his skin.

His wrists were freed as his black jacket slid down his arms and hit the floor. His white v-neck was pulled off as well. Byou's t-shirt landed in the pile two seconds later. His other clothes began to follow suit as Manabu worked swiftly at every button and zipper.

Byou yanked Manabu toward him and pressed his mouth hard against his. The kisses grew quicker, wetter, hotter with each passing second, lips overlapping and straying to the corners of the other's mouth. Manabu wanted to feel every minute detail. Fingers fumbled at his belt, unfastening everything in the way. The two had stumbled toward the bed. Byou lowered himself onto the made-up mattress, pulling Manabu down on top of him. 

Manabu hovered over Byou as the vocalist lifted his head in order to keep in close contact with the other, barely leaving them enough room to breathe. His fingers brushed over the other's cheeks while they reunited their lips in a frantic race, tongues visibly peeking out. Manabu smoothed his hands along his lover's chest, his firm abdomen, moving farther down...

The position abruptly changed, and Manabu let out a sharp breath as Byou flipped him over onto his back. He leaned in close to the face below his.

"You're so fragile," he teased, pushing away thin strands of hair and biting at his lover's ear.

"You're so eager," the other replied.

Byou tilted Manabu's head back as he traced his lissome fingers along his jawline. He moved in to the vulnerable space of his neck and ran his tongue down to the collarbone, planting a strong kiss every so often.

His lips passed over a nipple, playfully sucking before moving away just as quickly, leaving Manabu wanting more.

Manabu tugged at his lover's hair. His breaths were audible, unable to be held in check. He could hardly manage to withhold his craving. This time around it was he who was growing impatient. After all, hadn't he waited long enough to show Byou how he truly felt for him?

Byou moved his mouth back to the other's ear.

"Am I too slow for your desire?" he whispered, his breath hot around Manabu's ear. Manabu moaned and briskly turned his head, seeking out Byou's lips, the feel of his tongue against his...

His lips barely skimmed Byou's when the other man took his chin and steadily gazed into his eyes. Chills ran down Manabu's arms as that signature devil's grin spread across his face. Oh, this teasing was unbearable...!

"I want to touch you," said Manabu, his fingers roaming through Byou's hair and down his back, trying to pull him in. "Come closer..."

Once more he felt prepossessing lips a mere centimeter away from his ear.

"Spread your legs for me."

Manabu couldn't stop his face from heating up at this request. Though wasn't he the one begging for Byou's touch? He was almost nervous as he obeyed, but an electrifying sensation was rapidly taking over his mind. Had he ever been this intimate with anyone before? No, surely not like this. His heart beat rapidly as his lover pressed down on him, both elbows on either side of his torso.

He breathed sharply as their cocks came in contact with each other. Byou didn't hesitate to grind against him. The ecstasy was overwhelming. He'd never been so close to anyone like this before. No one other than Byou had ever caused him to feel like this. Manabu gasped Byou's name, then slowly grinded back, one hardness moving over the other.

"You're pure beauty," panted Byou. "You're so beautiful, Manabu..."

Their moans echoed throughout the room. Manabu's legs opened wider as he and Byou rocked against each other, their breath mingling as Byou leaned closer and kissed along his jaw. Manabu's hips lifted against his lover's. The feeling was inconceivable. The satisfaction was deadly.

"You drive me crazy..." Manabu gasped.

"I'm trying my best," purred Byou.

He smiled a tad, then shut his eyes as Byou thrust harder against him. Their moans cried out softly as their hard, smooth skin moved together. Their movements sped up, the friction between their bodies rising in a delicious heat.

Manabu tossed his arms above his head. His hands clenched the bed beneath him as he felt himself getting closer and closer...

The two were lost in each other as sensitive skin smoothed together in a heated frenzy. Manabu wimpered softly, begging his lover to lean down and surrender his lips. Wavelengths of pleasure passed through him, his body trembling, filling to the brim with satisfaction. 

"I want to touch you in every way imaginable," said Byou. Their lips met, only briefly, and Manabu sighed at the touch. "I want to satisfy you. I'll do anything for you..."

Byou nibbled at Manabu's ear as he continued to whisper into it, trying to melt him with his husky voice, and oh did it do just that.

Fans all around the world might be able to hear Byou's voice at the press of a button, but who else but Manabu could hear it like this?

Just the right touch, and Manabu called out sharply as his back arched upward from the mattress. His eyes closed tightly at the sensation. He dropped back to the sheets, completely drained. Byou continued to grind against him before shortly thereafter he picked up with a cry of his own. The feeling of fulfillment grew with the splash of come against his skin, as Byou sank down beside him. They lay side by side in a hot, sticky mess. In the midst of their rugged breathing Manabu turned his head to Byou. He gazed still longingly at him. 

For so long this man had provided him with his friendship, his care, his thoughts. And now he gave him everything he had left, all the love he had hidden away.

Their eyes met when Manabu brushed his fingers over Byou's arm. They leisurely moved to the middle of the pillow and softly kissed each other, just once, before Byou pulled himself up and gently tugged Manabu toward him, wrapping his arms around his torso in a protective hug. Manabu leaned into his lover. Byou pressed against his hair and kissed the top of his head. He shut his eyes, memorizing the feel of those lean arms around him, his head against his chest. He could lie there for years if he had the chance.

"You really are precious to me," asserted Byou once again.

Manabu leaned his head back in order to meet his eyes. Byou smiled down at him a little.

"So in order to keep you safe," he continued, "it seems like we have no other choice but to keep you in my grasp at all times."

"No other choice, huh," said Manabu, tracing the form of his arm.

"You know, so I can ward off unwanted company or something." Byou rolled over with Manabu still trapped in his arms. "I'll be a protective shield around you."

"Get the hell off!"

"Sorry. Shield is activated."

"Deactivate shield!" Manabu giggled.

"Are you sure you don't want this shield right now?"

"I'd rather be lying down next to the shield, actually."

"Oh. As you wish..." 

Grinning, Byou loosened his grip on Manabu. He laughed at the dorky move. The two hardly remained apart for long as they burrowed under the covers and nestled against each other. Moments after Manabu's eyes flickered shut, Byou spoke in a low voice.

"Just... Will you stay with me?"

Manabu's eyes fully opened again. What was that serious tone for?

"Of course. Why?"

"Just asking silly little questions... Now get some sleep. We have a busy schedule to look forward to. I'll be here when you wake up. Goodnight."

"Goodnight..."

He was curious about the strange question, but he pushed everything aside for the time being. He was tired and frankly had been anticipating unconsciousness all day. And what better way to fall into it than in Byou's embrace?


	4. Distractions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Manabu is determined to make a non-smoking personal record, but the craving is killing him. When Byou sees him simply sitting around with an unlit cigarette in his mouth, he draws the line and takes him out to a nice dinner to keep his mind off of it.

_(via text message)_

_Manabu: It's been a week. Actually I think it's been over a week._

_Byou: Well that's good, isn't it?_

_Manabu: If it's been that long surely just one won't hurt, right? I feel like I'm dying._

_Byou: You're doing so well. You're just bored and need distractions. I'll be over soon._

*     *     *

Byou knocked briefly on the door before entering Manabu's apartment. He shouted a greeting as he messed with removing his shoes. No one replied. He curiously craned his neck to peer around the corner.

Manabu's battle with cigarettes was still ongoing. He made sure there was still no cigarette category under his profile on their official website. He had also mentioned quitting multiple times. It caused many fans to encourage him to stop smoking, as it did for himself. Still, quitting is a process with disparate phases for everyone. While he'd spoken about trying to quit in the recent past, the fact that a photo of him and Kira from DEZERT, with cigarettes in mouths and a pack on the table, had surfaced during the Zeal Link Tour 2015 only harmed his personal image of himself. Then again, it showed the truth, so he couldn't argue with that.

Now he sat on the floor, leaning back against the coffee table, staring deadpan at the empty wall in front of him while an unlit cigarette dangled from his mouth.

"What are you doing?" Byou sighed.

"I didn't light it," answered Manabu without unfocusing his eyes from the wall.

"I can see that."

Byou sat on the floor next to him. He gazed funnily at him.

"How long have you been sitting like this?"

"What time is it?" Manabu asked, his eyes finally moving away from the wall.

"It's almost four o'clock."

He thought for a moment. "Not quite an hour and a half."

"Seriously...!?" He shook his head. What the hell could occupy his mind enough to allow him to remain in one position for over an hour? "Okay then..."

Manabu stiffened as Byou unexpectedly leaned over him and took the other end of the cigarette between his lips. Their foreheads touched. Byou grinned with the cancer stick between his teeth before slowly pulling it out of the other's mouth. Manabu blushed at the close move.

"Let's go have dinner," said Byou, standing up and taking the cigarette from his lips. "I'll take you somewhere nice. Non-smoking area, too. Keep your mind off of it while you eat."

He held out his hands. Manabu took them and was lifted off the floor. Immediately he was pulled close to Byou. He lifted a finger to Manabu's mouth, tracing the slight curves.

"And I'll find other ways for you to keep your lips occupied..."

Manabu blushed to his ears. Byou leaned in and kissed him lightly.

"Go ahead and make yourself pretty, then," he continued. "We'll leave later in the evening."

"Yeah," nodded Manabu. "I'll be ready soon."

He looked once more at the cigarette still lingering in Byou's hand. He was caught, and Byou looked at it as well. Then he walked to the balcony door and slid it open, stepping into the summer heat. Manabu watched as his arm swung back before flying forward, sending the burden soaring. He walked back inside and sat down. He took out his phone. He glanced up at Manabu, who was shaking his head.

"What?" said Byou.

"I still paid for those!" answered Manabu.

*     *     *

When afternoon turned into evening the couple made their way across the city. Manabu strayed away from his latest ongoing fashion of white tops with black jackets and pants and instead wore a black buttoned shirt with faded gray pants. Different, yet still monochrome. But even in an air-conditioned area, this day was particularly hot and he was wishing he had thought of thinner, lighter clothes.

Byou led them to a restaurant off to the side of the bustle of the city roads. It seemed small from the outside, but Manabu was immediately impressed with the scenery of its interior. As a waiter led them to a table, he took in the array of red tablecloths and shining glasses that sparkled against the light. It wasn't a high-class, 24/7 black tie fancy restaurant, though it was still much nicer than Manabu thought they were going to.

The restaurant was made up of two rooms, neither too large nor too small. There was only one other couple seated, but Manabu and Byou asked to be in the other dining area. Byou ordered a bottle of wine before anything else. The waiter filled their glasses, left the menus, and was off again.

Manabu stared back and forth from the menu to the room they were in.

"I've never been here before," he said. "I looks pretty nice."

"I'm glad you think so," said Byou, taking a sip of the wine. "It is pretty nice. Not a family restaurant, but not something overly formal unless you want it to be."

"It's perfect."

The waiter returned shortly to receive their orders. Italian food was labeled as the restaurant's specialty, so they both ordered from that section. He shortly disappeared once more around the corner. Manabu picked up his glass and sipped at the wine. He glanced up to see Byou rest his elbow on the table, his head in his hand, watching him with a tiny smile.

"What...?" Manabu began to blush despite himself.

Byou shrugged. "Just taking in the fact that I'm on a nice date with a beautiful man."

Manabu smiled faintly and lowered his eyes.

"Really makes me want to kiss you."

"Right now?" asked Manabu. He was all for kissing his boyfriend, but his intense fear of someone finding out who shouldn't was constantly nagging in the back of his mind.

"We could get a plate of spaghetti. Do the famous 'Lady and the Tramp' scene. If anyone saw we could claim it was an accident."

"Keep that in mind for next time."

"Will do. But you know, the only windows are on the other side of the room."

"Then lean over and kiss me already."

Byou chuckled; Manabu grinned. They stretched across the little round table between them until their lips met in a soft embrace. They lingered afterward, their eyes lowered.

"Maybe we should order that spaghetti," said Manabu.

Byou was still smiling when he kissed him again.

Their food was carried in on a polished metal tray. Manabu's stomach growled as the scent of garlic, sauces, and a variety of spices struck his senses. He had forgotten about lunch, and by mid-afternoon he was too busy staring at a wall.

Manabu merely closed his eyes and nodded his approval after he took his first bite.

"I'd say I'm impressed," commented Byou.

Manabu was half tempted to wolf down the whole meal in five minutes. Of course he did no such thing. How embarrassing would that be. The two sat and chatted as the evening rolled by. Of course both their minds were free from any sort of troubling thoughts by now.

"You remember what I looked like with blond hair, right?" asked Byou, putting down his fork onto his now empty plate.

"Like from around the Xanadu period? Yeah, I think so."

"Well... I blame you and your last hair choices spreading their influence to me, but I've been considering that bleach blonde color again."

"Really?" Manabu raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah. I'm still indecisive, though. Would it make me less hot?"

"I think the only thing that could make you less hot would be... You know, I've got nothing. Go for it, I guess."

"Maybe I will. Make my appearance even lighter that way." He paused. "You really can't think of something that would make me unattractive?"

"There has to be something, even for you, I'm sure. But I can't come up with it."

Byou nodded, as if agreeing with Manabu about the stunning state of his beauty. 

They both skipped out on dessert; their entrées had been plentiful. And since public transportation did not require them to remain completely sober, they had also drunk an ample amount of wine. Satisfied with the date, they journeyed back to Manabu's apartment. Evening had rolled in quickly. The sun had almost completely disappeared below the horizon when they left, and within minutes it was gone, replaced by a dense, starless sky that promised rain in the near future. 

They finally arrived back at the apartment complex. In the lobby they saw the elevator was at the very top floor. Manabu outstretched a finger to press the button, but Byou took hold of his wrist. 

"Race you up!" he challenged.

"Seriously?" said Manabu. "You're challenging me to exercise?"

But the instant Byou let go of him and started moving, Manabu was running like a cheetah up the staircase next to the elevator. Their footsteps pounded up floor after floor. They gripped the railing and swung around each sharp turn, careful not to lose their balance. They were practically tripping each other by the time they ascended to Manabu's floor. In the end Byou reached the top a mere second faster. He raised his arms in the air at his victory.

"You're such a child," Manabu laughed, trying to catch his breath. He felt he had just gained enough exercise to last him the rest of the month. 

"Maybe you'll win next time." Byou shrugged. "In the meantime you should probably work out a little more. I can see how this competition was a little unfair, with my extremely muscular body and all."

"Are you calling me weak?"

"I'm calling you not the winner of this race."

Manabu shook his head. They walked to the end of the hall and he unlocked the apartment door. They stepped inside and removed their shoes. Manabu went to the fridge to get cold drinks for their now parched throats. He handed a bottle of water to Byou, who was peeking out the blinds to the balcony.

"Maybe I'll make you race me up the stairs every time I come over," said Byou, accepting the drink. "It was fun." He pointed to the toppling stack of video games set to the side of the television. "Or we should play games together. A less physically-demanding competition. Let's do that sometime soon."

Manabu merely nodded, eyes circling around the room before landing on Byou. 

"I love you," he blurted out casually.

Byou froze in place, the tiny smile on his face mismatching his confused eyes.

Oh god. Why did he say that. Well, because he does love him, that's why. But why at that exact moment? It was the most inopportune time. He just awkwardly admitted it out of nowhere. No romantic aura, no relevant conversation or actions...

Manabu's internal screaming was put on hold when Byou rushed toward him and cupped his face, their lips immediately locking. Manabu took hold of his wrists, and they held on to each other that way as they parted.

"I love you, too," said Byou, stroking his face with his thumbs. "I love you so much, Manabu..."

Hearing those words leave his mouth for the first time... Manabu squeezed his wrists and leaned back in to kiss him again. Byou placed one hand on the back of Manabu's head, the other at the nape of his neck, holding him as close as possible. Manabu hugged him in return. They started out light, but with each kiss they pressed their mouths together harder, moving slowly, passionately.

Manabu broke away, just barely, his lips still skimming Byou's, their foreheads touching. His downcast eyes wandered to the bedroom fleetingly. Byou nodded, and they took hands as they quickly made their way in.

There he wrapped himself around Byou once more. The other brushed his thumb over Manabu's cheek as they resumed contact. One foot at a time they stumbled toward the bed. Manabu was lowered onto the mattress, slightly propping himself up with an elbow while Byou sat next to and hovered over him. Manabu placed an arm around his neck and pulled him down. 

Their lips continued to overlap with each other slowly, increasing speed at intervals. Byou's lips parted wider, and with a sigh their mouths opened, tongues peeking in and out teasingly. Their breath came faster. Byou placed a hand on Manabu's shoulder and carefully pushed him flat onto the bed. He leaned over him and kissed him again. Their tongues swept together, slowly, tasting, feeling...

Byou paused and removed his shirt; Manabu copied the action as his pants were tugged away. Their bodies soon devoid of clothes, they repositioned themselves around each other. Their hot, wet breaths mingled each time their lips parted, gasping for air as their mouths pressed together harder. The touches were so firm, yet so gentle at the same time. Manabu watched as Byou pecked at his cheek, then briefly returned to his lips before moving down to his neck. He moaned faintly, listening to firm lips sucking at the soft skin along his collarbone. 

Manabu's hands moved downward, grasping at Byou's ass. A moan escaped from the other's mouth as he leaned in to the touch. The vocalist's lips explored more of his neck, tracing a line up to his jaw, trailing back down. Manabu breathed in sharply at the touch of a tongue on a nipple, and shivered as cool hands slid down his sides. 

"Touch me..." Manabu whispered. "Touch me, more, Byou..."

Their eyes met briefly. Then he moaned as his lover's slender fingers wrapped around his cock and shifted up and down. Manabu leaned back, slightly arching up from the mattress, and groped at the sheets above his head. Meanwhile Byou's lips had trailed back up his torso and soon reached his mouth once again. They embraced, Manabu sifting through Byou's long hair.

The hands feeling him were so delicate with their touches. Every detail could be felt, sending pleasured shivers down his spine. 

Byou's thumb stroked the head of Manabu's cock. Manabu gasped, releasing his lips, and moaned as Byou nudged at his mouth.

"There..." he said hoarsely. "Byou..."

And he touched him again, slyly smiling at the pleasure he brought to the man he loved. Byou rubbed his cock faster. His fingers circled quickly, smoothly as they started at the tip and worked their way upward. Manabu stirred, moaning louder as he felt a familiar warmth growing down inside of him...

"Kiss me," said Byou, half commanding, half begging.

And so of course he did, and as the hot, wet kisses rolled in, he couldn't stop the sounds coming from his throat with each parting.

Then with one slick stroke over his erection, Manabu arched upward from the bed, clinging to the sheets as he called out his lover's name. He collapsed back down, his worn eyes shut. 

Not long after, they reconnected, and Manabu slipped his arms around Byou. He pulled him downward, then carefully rolled him to the side until he was on top of him. Byou touched his face, then watched as the other's fingers moved down to his erection. The pad of his index finger ran slowly up and down just once, a delicate caress, yet so full of feeling.

He bent down. Byou trembled as Manabu's tongue flicked at his hardness, and he leaned his head back when his lips closed and slowly made their way over his cock.

"More..." begged Byou. "Don't stop..."

Manabu obeyed, slowing now and then and giving one long suck, and receiving a pleasured noise in return. Propping himself up, Byou's elbows trembled beneath him as he grew weaker from Manabu's touch. He watched the sight of his beloved's mouth fully taking him in. But he could barely keep his eyes from clenching shut when Manabu's tongue took over all action. His fingers clawed at the mattress under him.

"Manabu..." Byou gasped. "I'm going to come..."

The other's tongue finished with a flickering tease. One long moan was released from Byou; his head lifted back into the air. Manabu breathed heavily as he slipped his lips from Byou's cock. He watched Byou's face, eyes sealed, cheeks flushed, hair astray, the delicious pleasure flooding through him.

They collapsed together as one hot, sticky mess. The air around them gradually cooled down. Manabu lay facing a wall, Byou's front side pressed against his back, arms around him tightly. He looked at the hands around him, hands that touched him in so many ways he never imagined before. Hands that loved him over and over.

"Byou..." Manabu murmured.

"Yes, precious?"

"I love you."

He felt lips press against the curve of his shoulders.

"I love you, too," replied Byou.

Fully content with his words, Manabu's eyes fluttered shut, completely satisfied of the day's outcome.

"Manabu...?" spoke up Byou again. His eyes reopened. "I don't ever want to let you go. I love you so much. Promise... Promise me I will never have to let you go. Please..."

"Of course!" Manabu was sort of shocked at the worry edging his beloved's voice. Was he truly afraid? "I promise. I love you so, so much. I could never let you go, Byou. Please don't ever let go of me." 

"I promise I never will. I'll always be here. Always."

Curiosity settled in the back of his mind. Still, Manabu couldn't help but smile. He nestled closer to the other man. He would take this over a cigarette any time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, also, this is that image that was mentioned ^^ Just one of those that was posted during the Zeal Link Tour.  
> http://distressed-moth.tumblr.com/post/119126018834/screwmexico-manabu-kira-dezert


	5. Bleach Blond and the Beach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What kind of summer would it be if Manabu didn't get the chance to visit the beach with his beloved?

Manabu stopped and blinked several times at the sight of Byou.

The members of SCREW had decided to get together for drinks one day. The only time all four of them had been together recently was for photoshoots or meetings about things like the new release and upcoming lives. Of course Byou and Manabu had seen each other a bit more than that, but the last time Manabu saw Byou, about a week before, his hair was not strikingly blond.

"So you did it," observed Manabu. "I like it." Even though, since Byou's back was facing him as he walked in, he didn't recognize who was sitting with Kazuki and Jin, and was shocked to discover it was his own boyfriend.

"Yeah," said Byou. Manabu sat next to him. "It's been awhile. I like it, but... Do you guys think it looks good?"

"It really does," said Jin. "It's different."

"Yeah," agreed Kazuki. "And since Manabu's hair has gotten a little darker lately, we needed someone to take over the blond position. You were the perfect candidate."

"Thanks...?" said Byou, mildly unsure of how to respond to that. 

As they often enjoyed doing, the four members sat back and relaxed, not having to worry about troubles like deadlines or traveling all over the place for one night. They could stop being the members of SCREW for a few hours and enjoy their time as a group of friends. It relieved a lot of stress that had been building up inside of them. In fact, the amount of alcohol that eventually washed into their systems pushed away any real thought at all.

"I love you... _SO_ much!" drawled Byou, practically screaming the fourth word into Manabu's ear.

"He loves you," said Kazuki, nodding his head loosely. "He's so in love..."

"We are in love!" added Manabu.

"Both of them! Both of them are in love. And with each other. Look at that, Jin. It's beautiful. You two are beautiful. Manabu, I can't believe how much you love him."

"I really do love Byou."

And because of that he didn't object when Byou moved over and kissed him. Their lips moved quickly, hot, drunken kisses bound to lead to something else...

"Maybe be a little less in love while we're still here," said Jin, awkwardly trying to break up the two once Byou's hands slid under Manabu's shirt.

The couple stopped dead, lingered for a moment, then calmly broke apart.

"Oh yeah..." said Manabu, much less embarrassed than he ever would have been sober. "Sorry about that..."

Byou pointed at him.

"I love him," he said. "Did I ever tell you guys that?"

*     *     *

Of course when Manabu and Byou went to the latter's apartment, they decided to pick up where they left off. The instant the front door shut behind them they were clinging to each other once more, their lips magnetic. They stumbled blindly toward the bedroom, yanking their garments off as they went. 

Manabu wrapped his legs around Byou as their tongues mingled. Byou practically lifted him from the ground. Soon they were both falling onto the bed, hardly able to remain standing at this point. They lay there together, the feel of their lips growing softer as they pressed together harder. 

They didn't separate as Byou rolled on top of Manabu. The guitarist's wrists were immediately pinned down near his head. He didn't resist, and his heart beat like a drum in his chest. Byou leaned in and began sucking at his neck. Manabu purred as lips skimmed his collarbone. Byou kissed up his neck, his tongue tracing his jawline before planting a kiss and moving back down.

"I love you...ah!" cried Manabu as his flesh was pierced by Byou's teeth.

"Then open up to me..." said Byou, licking at his smooth chest. "I love you."

Manabu's legs spread apart, his breath remaining rapid. He gazed into his lover's eyes, but soon tilted his head back and shut them, releasing a moan, as their cocks came in contact. Byou began to grind against him, getting as close as he possibly could. Manabu grinded back, his hips moving up from the mattress. He tried to grasp the sheets around him, but found it futile as he was still trapped by Byou's fingers.

"I told you I wouldn't let you go," whispered Byou. "Surely I'll never release you from this pleasure..."

Manabu gasped as he pressed harder against his body. He wanted him to go faster, touch every inch of his exposed skin, give him a show he would never forget. Byou attempted to further entice him with his words. He bent down close to Manabu's face, making eye contact and flashing that smile that drove Manabu up a wall.

"Moan into my mouth," he said.

And so their mouths pressed promptly together once again. Their lips overlapped and slipped with ease with each embrace. Manabu was lost in the feeling, lifting his head from the mattress, wanting him closer. Then suddenly Byou's body pushed downward onto Manabu, cocks entwined, bodies touching, in one intricate sweep, while their lips remained locked in place. Manabu moaned at the sensation, turning his head slightly, yet not breaking away from Byou's embrace. He felt a grin spread across his lover's face.

"That was beautiful," Byou gasped. 

And they embraced once again, while Byou found all the most intimate touches he could offer the man beneath him. Manabu couldn't stop the long, ragged moans escaping from his lips and directly onto Byou's. He could sense Byou grow harder and tighter with each sound that he uttered, as if the vibrations of his voice left marks along his skin. Just the fact that this was such a turn on for him made Manabu grow hotter from the attraction.

Byou trailed his hips slowly downward before thrusting them back up. Manabu could hardly breathe from the long sweeps against his erection. Byou released his lips and moaned when they thrust together.

"Faster...!" commanded Manabu. "Please..."

They glided together quicker. They were connected at the waist, and Manabu's legs wrapped around Byou, dragging him down. The heat inside of him was becoming even more pronounced. He shut his eyes as he felt he could no longer take it.

"Look at me, love," said Byou, winding and unwinding his fingers around Manabu's. "I want to see the stars in your eyes..."

Now Manabu listened to this request, and his lashes danced as he met Byou's gaze. Byou grinned, and Manabu managed a fleeting smile in return at the gorgeous, disheveled sight of his lover.

Manabu's hips arched higher from the bed as they increased their speed. Suddenly he cried out, legs spread wide, and tossed his head back while his wrists nearly broke free from their cages. When he finished, Byou thrust against him once again, but the mere sight of his lover caused him as well to release one long moan, his hands gripping Manabu tightly as the ecstasy flowed through him. 

They collapsed beside each other, both completely, sweetly drained. Once their ragged breath had died down some, Byou moved close to Manabu, placing his arms around him. They drew the covers over themselves, ignoring the mess they had become. They relaxed against the warmth of each other.

"Let's go somewhere," said Byou out of the blue. "Let's take a vacation. Just a few days away together. Where do you want to go?"

"Well, summer is nearing its end," Manabu replied. "Why not go somewhere like a beach?"

"The beach sounds perfect. We'll pick out the perfect place, and we have to leave as soon as possible."

"Tomorrow is as soon as possible, I think."

"Then tomorrow we go to the beach!" settled Byou.

*     *     *

When they awoke in the morning, heads foggy, eyes refusing to open against the light, the two tried to recollect everything from the previous night. Much of the evening with their friends was fuzzy, but the drunken sex seemed to have left a discernible mark in their minds. 

Wasn't there something else, though...?

At last remembering that they had agreed to leave for the beach first thing in the morning, the two sat up and looked at each other with uncertainty, silently agreeing that it was not the best decision to just up and leave without having the slightest clue where they were going.

So they spent the rest of the day planning their destination and packing their bags. They still craved that journey to the sea. 

By the next day they were eager to be on the road, and set out early in the morning. They had made sure their schedules were clear for a few days before some in-store events and such started up. They searched for a place to go on the coast, somewhere nice but not crowded at all hours of the day. Once they finally found someplace that was guaranteed to be peaceful, they tossed their belongings in their bags and were out the door within twenty-four hours.

The hotel they would reside in wasn't too far of a walk from the shore. There was even a trail through the trees that led there. They breathed in the lingering aroma of the ocean's salt before they walked toward the lobby doors. It made Manabu itch to be in the water. He contemplated just dropping his suitcase and darting across the sand right then and there. He didn't wish to inconvenience his boyfriend by tossing him extra luggage and abandoning him, though.

They checked in at the reception area. Manabu was afraid the woman behind the desk would give them peculiar looks, as they were only purchasing one room, but he was pleasantly surprised when she never missed a beat in her charming attitude. Society was truly shaping up. Or perhaps it was because most of the rooms had two beds.

Manabu and Byou _did_ make use of that second bed. They tossed their suitcases on top of the covers and made it into a big, soft table. 

The trip there had been quite long, but the two were eager to begin activities as soon as they got to the room. It was only early afternoon, so there was plenty of time to find something to do.

"Let's go over to the ocean right now," said Manabu, his eyes glowing as he searched for his trunks. "We can go in the water and then walk all around the shore and see if our footprints are gone when we come back and look for seashells or maybe we'll see those little fish get washed up with the tide and--"

Byou placed his hand over the other's mouth.

"Let's go have fun," laughed Byou. "You're so eager..!"

"I'm just..." Manabu started to speak, but his words were still muffled by Byou's hand. He removed it, and Manabu giggled. "I'm just really happy right now, I guess."

"Good, that's what I was going for. Now don't leave without me! I bet you've already thought of abandoning me and heading straight for the beach."

Manabu's eyes awkwardly strayed away.

They rushed to fish out beach towels, sunscreen, and sodas, tossing everything into an extra small bag that Manabu had brought along to carry their stuff. 

They walked through the lobby and out onto the trail in their swimsuits and tees. The sound of the crashing waves rang louder in their ears with each step they took. It wasn't long before Manabu's eyes locked onto the glimmering blue water. He wanted to run straight into it right then and there.

Instead he walked calmly with Byou. It was supposed to be a fun, romantic vacation for two, after all. They walked around trying to pick a spot to lay out their towels. They kept a bit of distance between them and the tide and then finally planted the blue and white umbrella they brought into the sand. They stripped away their shirts, then settled in and sat back on their outstretched towels. 

Manabu removed his sunglasses in order to clearly see the vast sea spread out in front of him. He was enchanted by the sparkling ripples that bounced around nonstop. It went on for miles, blending with the sky along the horizon.

Byou didn't take his eyes off the scene when Manabu popped up from his seat. He took hold of Byou's hand and tugged at him.

"Come on!" he begged. "Let's go in the water for awhile!"

"I don't know if I've ever seen you this excited," said Byou. "You just really like the beach, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, but..." He paused, and Byou shook his head a bit as if to tell him to go on. "I just think...that the beach is really romantic... And I've wanted to come here with you for awhile... Sort of before we were even together, actually... And now we're here and we're in love and I'm just basically very happy and all..."

A grin slowly sneaked across Byou's face the more Manabu spoke.

"Sorry for putting off your romantic fantasies for so long," teased Byou. "But I suppose now I feel like I shouldn't make you wait any longer."

With that he was on his feet as well. The two tossed their sunglasses and sandals onto the towels. They bounded across the burning sand, awaiting the cool touch of the damp ground at the water's edge. When they reached the shore, Byou took Manabu's hand. Manabu didn't let go, he never wanted to, and so he squeezed his fingers tighter and smiled.

The water lapped at their feet as they walked. Manabu made sure to maintain his balance as the currents yanked at his legs the further he waded in. As the waves became stronger, he and Byou jumped simultaneously as they rolled in, thinking they could beat the currents in time. 

Their feet still touched the ocean floor, even though they had gone a considerable distance from the shore. They jumped through as many waves as they could, but some just rose far too high above their heads, and suddenly they were submerged into the water, being tossed back to where they came from. Manabu still had hold of Byou's hand, though it was growing incredibly difficult to keep holding on and not drown at the same time.

"I forgot how warm the water is," said Manabu, reclining backward and floating on the surface. "It never feels uncomfortable. It's so relax--"

That was all that was said, for directly afterward a towering wave attacked both him and Byou. They resurfaced and laughed at the sight of each other, tied-up hair coming loose, and the fact that after that journey into the water, it had pushed them quite a ways back once again. 

Byou pulled Manabu in his direction. They wrapped their arms around each other's bare shoulders, and Byou leaned in to kiss him. This felt like a dream to Manabu, something he might read in a story. A perfect vacation on a perfect summer day with a man who seemed nearly perfect to him. But it wasn't fiction, it was truly happening to him right now. He could feel Byou's lips against his, his shapely arms circling him, the faint breeze that attacked the sun's heat, the water and seaweed bumping into his legs...

This reality was much better than any fantasy.

"Your lips taste salty," said Manabu, still leaning in close to Byou.

"It's the theme's flavor," Byou replied. "I also come in vodka and wine. Though I believe you've already tasted both of those."

"I have, and I find all three flavors enjoyable."

They kissed again, and Manabu never wanted to stop. It was all just so flawless. Just him and Byou, on a peaceful beach, their lips entwined as the waves rippled around them. Though of course it was those waves that ultimately ended the kiss, as the two men found their heads being hit with water and their bodies jerked to the side. It should have been expected, of course. Nature doesn't take a break for romance. They just laughed when they saw how badly the rushing waves had separated them in the end.

They reunited and passed the time trying to swim against the waves or hold onto each other's hands while floating on the surface. Despite their effort to keep pushing forward, the last time they checked their distance they were almost back on the beach. They had been out for quite some time, so this time they allowed the waves to carry them all the way back. 

They trekked swiftly across the sun-soaked sand. When they returned to their set-up, Byou and Manabu opened up drinks and reclined next to each other on their towels, immersing their senses in the essence of summer.

"Thank you," said Manabu.

"Hm?"

"If it wasn't for you getting drunk and wanting to run away the next morning, we wouldn't even be here."

"Anything for you. If you ever need anything just give me a bottle of whiskey and I'll figure something out." Byou paused. "And thank you."

"For what?"

"For loving me. And for loving me enough to go along with my heat of the moment ideas."

"You don't have to thank me for loving you..! I'll always love you, Byou."

The day had progressed rapidly. Evening rolled around and the two shook out their sandy towels and gathered up the items they brought. They traveled back to the hotel and washed up, getting random grains of sand out of their hair and taking away some of that salty scent. Since room service was available, they ordered two small dinners to be brought up to them, both too tired to have the desire to go into a restaurant.

When their meals arrived they stepped through the tall, thin glass door which led to a tiny balcony, decorated with a quaint round table and two wicker chairs. They ate with the sounds of cicadas and crashing waves in the background.

"This place is perfect," said Manabu. "We should just live here. Can we buy this whole hotel and make it a mansion with a private beach?"

"I...don't think either of us has that much money," answered Byou. "But damn, that sounds like a perfect plan. I'll have to bring that up with the bank."

"It does. But then again, I suppose if we were here all the time, it wouldn't feel as special as it does right now. So really....I guess I prefer it this way."

"Here, show me a smile that tells me how much you love it here." 

Byou held up his phone. Chopsticks still in hand, Manabu's head ducked slightly and he smiled widely while Byou snapped a picture.

"I don't know, that was a pretty cute and happy smile," he commented. "I think we're going to have to come back here more than once."

The rich autumn colors of the dusk sky gently faded into shades of night. Byou sat on the bed and relaxed in the comfort of the pillows surrounding him. Manabu shyly crawled up to him. Byou opened his arms, and Manabu curled up against him, hugging him tight, like he might vanish if he didn't. Byou rubbed his arms, keeping him close.

They lay in silence for the longest time. Hardly stirring, simply cherishing the moment, each other so close by, so warm against the hotel's cold air. Manabu felt Byou's heart steadily beating in his chest. It was calming. Byou's thumb brushed against his skin now and again. Until they felt their eyes forcing shut, neither moved a muscle or spoke a single word. 

This was Manabu's perfect fantasy, one that no novel could ever capture the pure feel of.

 


End file.
